Sunday, January 31, 2010

EIGHT thousand pages. Ninety days. If you started reading the draft environmental impact statement after its Nov. 20 release, you would have to read 90 pages daily to finish by the comments closing period of Feb. 17.

The DEIS lays out dramatic plans that will impact our lives and our island. We owe it to ourselves and future generations to make our voices heard.

Here are some ways to find out what is in the DEIS:

Read the newspaper. Pay attention to critiques by reputable sources. GovGuam agencies, legislative offices, and community groups have been reviewing the DEIS. Use their critiques in your comments.

Choose an issue and focus on it. The ocean, the hospital, immigration, land use. Call the GovGuam agency or senator’s office responsible for overseeing it, and ask how to get more information. Network with those in GovGuam agencies who focus on your issue.

Attend public workshops and hearings hosted by the legislative and governor’s offices. Ask questions and be persistent in getting an answer. If you don’t get an adequate response, put it in your comment.

Ask GovGuam agencies or community groups how you can help them respond to the DEIS. They need your support, too.

If you cannot attend a workshop and can gather together an audience, contact the governor’s office. Politely request that the governor’s Advisory Consulting Team or staffers outreach in those locations.

When writing your comment:

Find out where exactly in the DEIS (the volume and chapter) your issue is addressed and cite it.

Point out where you find misinformation, faulty reasoning, and/or vague statements. Point out where there’s no information. For example, the DEIS (Vol. 2, Chap. 18-16) acknowledges that population increases will negatively affect public service provision. It suggests “assisting GovGuam in funding for health services personnel.”

That key word, “assisting,” can mean many things—from actually giving money to GovGuam to making a phone call to a federal agent who puts out contract requests. The outcomes from each scenario are very different.

How exactly will these planners “assist in funding”? Will these planners guarantee funds—and if not, what happens if the money does not come through?

If you find that someone else has already expressed the concerns you have about the DEIS, submit a comment again under your name. When possible, suggest alternative plans or solutions. Or, write that you want “No Action” and why.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

We Are Guahan-- and together we are taking action to preserve our homeland, our people, our past and our future. Please join us at the hearings and comment on the EIS. We will rally at the hearing this Saturday, January 9, at the University of Guam campus, to show the military that we are committed to participating in decisions that affect our future. We will have people present to help fill out the comment forms, and there will be opportunities to get involved.

As the military has prepared for the buildup, they have told Guam residents that the economic boom would make up for negative environmental, cultural and social impacts.

As we have read, the draft EIS has told a different, clearer story.

SOME TRUTHS ABOUT THE BUILDUP ECONOMYMost contracts will go to large off-island companies, not to local contractors. Out of almost 18,000 jobs only about 2,500 will go to Guam residents. Currently, there are 17,000 unemployed people on Guam. Most of the jobs that go to Guam residents will be temporary.There is no discussion on how the DECREASE of 8,000 jobs in 2015, 11,000 jobs in 2016, and 7,000 jobs in 2017 will affect unemployment on Guam.The military conducted a separate report which revealed that the cost of living will rise, but wages will remain too low to keep up with skyrocketing costs.The buildup will bring thousands of working-age military dependents, only 1/4th of whom will be employed on base. These folks will be competing in the Guam economy for the few jobs that exist.This is only a sample of the economic realities revealed in the EIS. It is crucial that Guam residents stand up and speak out at the upcoming EIS hearings.

Guma'Famoksaiyan

The Blog for Famoksaiyan

Put i inentnon-Mami

"Famoksaiyan" translates to either "the place or time of nurturing" or "the time to paddle forward and move ahead." We are a grassroots network of activists, scholars, students, community leaders and artists who seek to push a progressive political, economic and social agenda for Chamorros and their communities at the local, national and international levels, through the promotion of the work of decolonization and cultural/historical revitalization in their politics, creative endeavors and everyday interactions